Philip Summerhays, Research Associate Auckland Museum, will not just be talking about mayflies, he will also bring along some mayflies he has been breeding, nymphs in a bucket and adults in a container.
There are currently eight described species for the genus Zephlebia in the Leptophlebiidae family of New Zealand mayflies. Collection of nymphs and rearing to adults from streams in West Auckland and Waikato has produced evidence of a new species. Previously undescribed variation for some existing Zephlebia species have also been found. These findings will be presented along with the current investigations into the possible causes of the variation.